Prince of Granola by L.A. Sartor (Interview & #Giveaway)

What is your motivation behind PRINCE OF GRANOLA? Why did you want to write it?

Chocolate was the motivation. Specifically, dark chocolate.

Kidding, sort of. I watched an Anthony Bourdain show about a rare white cacao bean and the struggle to find it. Bingo. A novel seed was planted.

Then what happens you ask? You find the story. My story didn’t start out as a reunion story, but sure ended up that way. And I think it’s partly because recently there has been all sorts these types of stories on the news, in the paper, and on social media.

Most of these new stories have satisfying endings. But as a writer, you have to ask yourself the next question. WHAT IF? So, what if this story wasn’t a happy reunion? Or at least didn’t begin that way? Ah, now you have a story that can be written. All because of that first glimpse of finding that rare white cacao.

I wanted to write Prince of Granola because it’s about healing old wounds. We’ve all been through stretches of rough emotional times, some of our making, and some because of other people’s actions. And we carry those wounds with us, sometimes forever.

But occasionally, a lightbulb goes off, and if we’re open to whatever epiphany hit us, we can approach the entire situation in a new light. Other times it takes a sledgehammer to make a person realize whatever happened is in the past and it’s more important to move forward in the relationship and be in the present than live in old hurts.

Can you guess which character takes each path?

What do you hope readers take with them after they’ve read it?

That an adverse past event doesn’t have to always color your future in a negative way. That love is a great healer and that love eventually wins, if you let it. That’s why we read romances. For that emotionally satisfying Happily Ever After scene.

Because I truly believe an HEA is what we all want. And I believe people can change for the better. That hanging on to old anger, hurts, and slights aren’t helping you move into a healthier place where you be open to finding happiness and love. Wow, that was a bit deep, but that’s what I think. What about you? Too much moonbeams and sunshine?

Guess what character says that?

Do you have a favorite scene that you can share with us?

Only one? Kidding aside, I think one of my favorites is Drew and Robert’s first walk up to the waterfall. On the damp and leaf covered path, Drew is “looking around with fascination at the intense green of plants and trees that seemed prehistoric in their size and shape, some with deeply ridged bark and even some with ominous curled leaves. A scent of something floral highlighted the subtle dankness of rotting timber and foliage. There was no doubt she was out of her element. But the newness of the experience rushed through her, filling her with a joy she hadn’t experienced in years.” In this scene Drew and Robert let their guard down long enough for us to learn about their past, and what they miss in each other and in their current life.

To me, it brought the conflict into sharper focus, and I hope my readers will wonder how on earth they’re ever going to regain that sense of kinship.

If you could sum the book up in one sentence, what would you say?

The past shapes the future, will Drew and Robert let it destroy theirs, or use it to build a new partnership?

Share something about you that is unique - maybe about how/where you write... or favorite snack foods?

Unique, huh? I have a horrible time writing without a view. Facing a wall creates an internal wall that seems to block my flow. Sure, I can write for a short period of time with no view, but I really need natural light and an outdoor scene in front of me. When the weather is warm, I love to write outside on my laptop, but as I live in Colorado and we have a real winter, I can’t do any writing outside in the cold. 😊 However, my office has a view of the mountains all year ‘round so I’m never without scenery. Perfect. Especially with a bite of dark chocolate within an easy reach.

Prince of Granola

(Plantation of White Treasure #1)by L.A. Sartor

Contemporary Romance

ebook, 229 pages

March 25th 2018

Cacao – long a symbol of wealth, love, and power – now the center of a powerful rivalry.

The fabled Costa Rican Plantation of White Treasure, source of the rarest form of the cacao bean, is up for sale. Though two fierce competitors have been invited to bid on it, only one can win.

For Drew Hopkins, purchasing the plantation is the perfect solution to escape a life she never wanted.

For Robert Prince, it’s the perfect route to revenge.

Drew, the founder’s daughter and now CEO of HH Chocolate, heads a company whose sales are waning. Robert, CEO of Prince Organics, a man driven by excellence, despises everything and everyone labeled Hopkins.

But it wasn’t always that way.

Will their forced proximity at the lush and exotic plantation rekindle old flames or will it fan the fires of antagonism?

I started writing as a child, really. A few things happened on the way to becoming a published author … a junior high school teacher who told me I couldn’t write because I didn’t want to study … urk … grammar. I went to college, moved a few times, came home and found the love of my life (that is another novel worthy story, but for later), and got married.

We were super busy with our respective careers, mine a custom jewelry business with my mom, who was also teaching metalsmithing at the time, and my husband a crazy law career. We had two fur babies, Fudge (and briefly her brother Smudge, but sadly he didn’t live very long) and Two. Our cats would sleep with us and when they’d stretch out to their full length, we’d end up sleeping on the edge of the mattress.

I have always been a voracious reader and one night after throwing a particularly bad book at the wall (even putting a small ding in said wall), I realized that I could do better. I told my husband, and he said go for it. I called Mom and she revealed the junior high teacher story and she told I’d been writing all the time up to that point.

That blew me away. I didn’t remember any of it. But I started writing again, nearly the next day, pen and paper, learning, making mistakes, winning contests, nearly getting an agent, becoming disenchanted with the publishing industry and moving away from novel writing to screenwriting, getting a contract for a script and doing really well in screenwriting contests.

But none of that was making me much money. After numerous scary robbery drills I wanted to move away from my bank job (yes, this is many years later and a lot of stuff in between) and write full time for the green stuff.

My husband told me repeatedly that independent publishing was becoming a valid way to publish a novel and people were making big dollars. I didn’t believe him even after he showed me several Wall Street Journal articles. I thought indie meant vanity press.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

I started pursuing this direction seriously, retired from the bank and hit the keyboard, learned a litany of new things and published my first novel. My second book became a bestseller, and while I’m not rolling in dough, I’m absolutely on the right course in my life.

So if you have a dream, pursue it as hard as you can. Life can get in the way, but never give up.

Please come visit me at www.lasartor.com, see my books, some pictures, some screenplays and sign up for my mailing list. I have a gift I’ve specifically created for my new email subscribers. And remember, you can email me at Leslie@LeslieSartor.com.

- US PRIZE PACK: $25 Amazon Gift Card and book one in the Star Light, Star Bright Series, BE MINE THIS CHRISTMAS NIGHT (winner has choice of print or ebook)
- INT PRIZE PACK: $25 Amazon eGift Card and an ebook of book one in the Star Light, Star Bright Series, BE MINE THIS CHRISTMAS NIGHT

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Welcome to Wishful Endings! This is where I geek out about all things bookish (mostly YA, but also Romance, Christian Romance, LDS Romance, and occasionally other genres and hobby titles)! I always include content info in my reviews so you know what you're diving into. I enjoy helping publishers and authors promote their books as a tour host for Prism Book Tours. Outside of blogging, I'm a total Marvel geek, Austen lover, and enjoy hanging with the family (husband, four kiddos, and pup).

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